Scholasticate in Pietermaritzburg (South Africa), dedicated to St. Daniel Comboni.

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The Green Corner article (Networking Cedara Vol. 28 No. 2, 20-26 Feb 2017) could not have come at a better time. Though this survey was done in the USA, it speaks volumes and resonates well with what is happening here in Kenya. It is now about three months since I came back to Kenya from South Africa. Many things have changed and I noted that the population in my town, Kitale, has rapidly increased. The once small agricultural town has become a boiling pot of so many activities. Businesses have grown, and unlike the past, the narrow streets are congested with people and tall buildings all over the place. Moreover, motorbikes have invested the town causing chaos and gridlocks. While some, especially the old timers romanticise and want back their old little peaceful town, others feel that it is catching up with the rest of the cities like Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu. Yet this has come with its own nemesis.

I have seen that the once little peaceful beautiful green agricultural town has been denuded of its heritage and beauty. The level of deforestation and encroachment on water reserves is going on unabated. Forests and farm land have been taken over by real estates to cater for the rapid population growth. Most of the fertile lands previously used for production of maize on large scale are being sold in small portions to property developers. In place of maize and beans, now we have ‘plots for sale and houses to let.’ No wonder the precious commodity, maize, has become scarce and unaffordable to the majority poor. In the 90’s we had plenty of water catchment areas and streams. These helped us a lot when the municipality could not provide residents with water for months. It is sad that most of the streams have dried and the catchment areas encroached.

There is filth all over the place from the market to the townships/estates. Solid waste, especially plastic bags have become an eye sore. It is all over the place and it appears that the authorities have no waste management policy or structures. Residents dispose garbage all over since there are no designated collection points. The environment is inundated with plastics bags that have taken the place of green grass and flowers. The level of air pollution is high as people burn plastics in their backyards and on the roadsides. It appears that people have become inured to this pollution.

The narrative is the same in other towns and cities in Kenya. Here in Nairobi where I am currently, the rate of plastic pollution is very high. There are plenty of illegal small garbage collection points beside narrow roads in the townships. People dump daily, and sometimes roads become unpassable due to the mountain of garbage, ninety percent of which are plastics. Drainage systems are full of plastic bags and bottles. It is very irritating that each time there is a road construction or maintenance, much of what comes underneath are plastic bags and bottles that show no sign of decomposition.

For some time, I have tried to understand this phenomenon on plastic waste. I have come to a conclusion that it will not be an easy way to win. It is a fact that most Kenyans find plastics indispensable. They carry them from home to work and work to home. They get them easily from the stores and the streets. Indeed, notwithstanding their effects to the environment, plastics appear a friend more than a foe to Kenyans from all walks of life.

Consider the lifestyle of most households in slums or townships. They buy items packed in plastic bags daily. For instance, small quantities of sugar, tea leaves, milk, chapati, mandazi, cooked beans or githeri, rice, chopped cabbages or Sukuma wiki, fruits, cooking fat, meat, chips ( French Fries), samosas, roasted/boiled maize, roasted/boiled sweet potatoes or yams, etc . On average we can estimate that each household receives about 10 plastic bags per day.In a month is 300 and in a year it is about 3600. All these waste either end up being dumped besides roads, walls, under trees, in nearby rivers or streams or drainage systems that serve the residential areas. For areas that garbage is collected once in a while, in case of delays, fire becomes the best option. A physical visit to one of the slums is enough evidence of this.

By Robert Kinena Ndung’u, MCCJ

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Each year, the Passover meal in the biblical narration becomes edifying and manifests God’s self giving love in a pragmatic way for the Comboni community of Pietermaritzburg. Each time it reminds us of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection above all a self giving for the salvation of all. A memorial feast lived in our daily Eucharistic celebration. The community members during this time do all it takes to find meaning of what it means to celebrate the Passover meal. What is so interesting is that they find meaning of all the Jews did in their own context. Moreover, it invites all to transcend the Jews context and contextualize it in the celebration of the Eucharist.It is marked by a dramatic celebration where each item they used gives meaning to our life. For this year and last year the community took an extra step to involve the youths of St. John of Arc Parish. The fundamental reason is to create awareness in them, what it means to celebrate the Passover meal; to cultivate in them that love and interaction with God through His word which sources union with Him, letting God speak here and now in a new way. In addition, to know that indeed Christ is God’s self communication who gives us Himself everyday in our Eucharistic celebration.

Gathered in this celebration the aspect of breaking and sharing prevails, this is significant of Christ who breaks himself for us so that we may break ourselves to others; what does this mean? To break here, what is imperative is that sacrifice attached to it; it is not just a meal, break of the part if the body; but it is that sacrifice that God Himself willed through his son Jesus Christ. In his divinity and humanity, he became like us, to share with us and to appreciate each one of us. The climax of the Passover meal that we share is symbolic of what we freely receive from Christ. This we do through imitation of Christ in this reflective, spiritual nourishing drama. He gives us his love freely, and so calls us to give it freely to others. The other aspect during this commemoration, is that of a family, where each is given a role to play, we have a father, mother and children. It is not a mere performance but a really manifestation of how we must practice the self giving for the other. Self-giving, here connotes, time given to the other, a minute of attention given to a person, friend, relative or parents like serving water among others. Sacrificing ones best time and sharing it with the brothers and sisters for the glory of God.

This Passover meal transcends the mere actions to a meditation and reflection of Christ’s revelation and a willing to unite us with the Father. It creates memories and question especially to the youths who go home different than they came. This becomes the really encounter with God and makes all witnesses of Christ to others. It becomes the lived faith after hearing and internalizing it with action and explanations of what each item used means. During this event we read the scripture centered on the last meal to let Christ manifest Himself in a new way, through reflection and explanations given by the commentator. This year the event was marked with a good number of youths, who like last year were involved in the actions. After the celebration they were challenged to take initiative to organize one such event where the priests and scholastics take part. The challenge was to let them know that they are part and parcel of this important event, to let it communicate and make sense among them. Indeed it was marked with words of gratitude to the parish priest from the in charge of the youths, Mr. Trevor Stole who taught that the occasion helped and contributed to the youths’ gain as members of the Church who have celebrated and will continue to celebrate sacraments.

By scholastic Justus Oseko

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This year on 21st March 2017 South Africans gathered to celebrate human rights day, it also marked a come together event for Comboni friends in St. Daniel Comboni Scholasticate, Pietermaritzburg. Human Rights Day is a national holiday in South Africa that is always celebrated on 21 March. The holiday commemorates the establishment of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). ‘The aim of the SAHRC is to promote respect for human rights, promote the protection, development and attainment of human rights, and to monitor and assess the observance of human rights in SA.’ In a nutshell what happened before the launch of SAHRC was dehumanizing and segregating in terms of race. Black South Africans found themselves victims of the circumstances. The SAHRC was launched on 21 March 1996, marking exactly 35 years after the events of 21 March 1960 when anti-apartheid demonstrators in Sharpeville were gunned down by police. The Native Laws Amendment Act of 1952 controlled the movement of Africans to urban areas and required all Africans to carry a reference book on them at all times.

Failure to produce the reference book on demand by the police was a punishable offence. The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) proposed ananti-Pass campaign to start on 21 March 1960. All African men were to take part in the campaign without their passes and present themselves for arrest. Campaigners gathered at police stations in townships near Johannesburg where they were dispersed by police. At the Sharpeville police station a scuffle broke out. The police opened fire, apparently without having been given a prior order to do so. Sixty-nine people were killed and 180 wounded. In apartheid South Africa this day became known as Sharpeville Day.

For us Comboni missionaries this was a day that we saw it necessary to gather around with Comboni friends here in South Africa; first, to celebrate this day together and secondly, to strengthen our relationships. The day started with Eucharistic celebration at around 10:30 am. After the celebration the vocation animation team, Fr. Manuel, and Scholastics, Charlemagne and Achile shared about our missions in the world. Fr. Manuel centred his presentation in western countries whereas the scholastics centred theirs in the African context especially, in South Africa.The questions and gratitude from the Comboni Friends clearly manifested willingness and curiosity to know more about the Comboni missionaries. They also manifested a belonging to the Comboni family as lay missionaries. It was crystal clear that the joy of being a lay missionary is to share and to collaborate in the ministry of Christ; that is serving, this was vivid through their words of encouragement.

Fr. Manuel posed a reflective question to them, saying; don’t you think your sons can become missionaries just like these brothers from different parts of the continent? It was the hope of the community through this gathering that they would go spreading what they saw and what they heard. At the same time it was the pleasure of the community and happiness for their positive response to the invitation. After, the community reflectively pointed that a good structure of leadership should be created in this group as to really involve all and make them active in discerning the mutual support spiritually and materially purposely to express God’s love among the group by animating each other as they are called to serve in their own capacities as Christians.

By scholastic Justus Oseko

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It appears superfluous to ask such a question when we know very well that on 5th December 2013 activities in the world almost came to a standstill when Tata Madiba breathed his last. Indeed Tata Madiba was a South African no more than Jesus was a Jew and Adolf Hitler a German. The death of this great figure seems to have washed away the many evils that South Africa had been grappling with. Indeed Madiba in no uncertain terms fought apartheid,one of the greatest evil that was eating the flesh of South Africa like a cancerous tissue. But it still remains to be ascertained whether he managed to nip in the bud the offshoots of apartheid and its mutation, for instance, the high rate of violence basically manifested in constant protests where scores of people are killed, the rising trend in crime, and the upsurge of xenophobic and afrophobic attacks. I may appear as the devil’s advocate but my intention is simply to take a hard look at facts that we overlook with the dawn of each day.
It is indubitable that South Africa is one of the economic giants in Africa, competing with Egypt and Nigeria. The exponential rise in the number of mines attests to this, not forgetting her extensive and magnanimous road infrastructure that is hailed to be better than some in Europe. It is very easy to conclude based on these facts that South Africans are among the happiest people in Africa. If happiness index can be determined by infrastructures and high levels of consumption, then such might be the case. But wait a minute! How possible can one be said to be happy when he or she lives in a country that has the highest death rate in the world? Research findings by South Africa Police Service (SAPS) published by The Witness in KZN in September 2013 revealed that the level of crime had increased. The findings made it unequivocal that South Africa has the highest death rate in the world. Such a high death rate was attributed to murder, car accidents, and health complications.
Furthermore the US – based CIA Fact book has it that South Africa has the highest death rate globally , beating war-torn countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Central African Republic. In addition the WHO has placed South Africa in the top ten for road traffic deaths at 31.5 people per 100000 population. The UN office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) Homicide Statistics for 2013 places South Africa as the 18th highest for death by murder. Other indicators on the CIA Fact book place South Africa as number one for HIV/Aids related deaths.These statistics disturb and ought to spur the nation into positive action.It is ironic that the globally celebrated road networks have turned into death traps. Could it be that people do not know how to drive? Is somebody not doing their job? Corruption is always our refuge in this. Three years ago in Kwazulu Natal (KZN), one of the local papers, The Witness, reported of corruption involving issuance of driving licences. It is sad that many motorists pass the driving test not based on competency but on their ability to bribe the traffic officers. The consequence of this is more deaths on the roads.

We are not yet sure whether there is a desire and will to understand the reason for the rise in the culture of violence, for instance, the high death rates due to rape and murder? Mary de Haas, from KZN Violence monitor, affirms that the high death rate is due to South Africa’s violent society. She opines that violence has been used for a long time not only to solve problems but as a means to an end. On the other hand the KZN Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant- General Mmamonnye Ngobeni, maintains that there is no single explanation for the rise in crimes. For him “some of the causes of crime are deeply rooted and related to the history and socioeconomic realities of our society”.

In his book When Mandela Goes, Venter avers that ‘apartheid has been the major progenitor of the abnormally high level of crime in south Africa. This means that the further the new south Africa moves away from its apartheid past, the fainter its effect will be – and the greater hope there is for a decrease in crime…the unhappy conclusion is that only a future generation, with new values, can bring about a reversal in the crime patterns in South Africa. Until then, they must continue on the path they have taken …and get worse before they get better.’ Venter could not be truer based on what is currently happening. His sentiments reverberates with plain truth. This is the truth that the whole nation should be ready to make sacrifices to own. A truth that will usher a South Africa that is healed, reconciled to herself and her neighbours, and committed to annihilate the culture of violence.

BY ROBERT KINENA NDUNG’U MCCJ.

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28th December 2016, marked an imperative step for the youths of Kanyanga as they reflected on how to focus on a better future. It was a seminar, enlightening them to lead a dignified life. It was a day to awaken them from the resilient consequences of early marriage which always circulates around the saying ‘we want to see grandchildren.’ Not denying this reality, the youths were left to reflect on reasons for early marriage. In a spirit of participation many reasons come up. The vivid ones were; Poverty, Ignorance, Illiteracy, Peer pressure and group influence due to one’s intimate relationship with the opposite sex.

The second part of the seminar helped the youths know signs of transition to adulthood. This part was highly appreciated, with curiosity the youths yearned and longed to know them. They asked questions that confirmed their ignorance and promised to practice abstinence, be goal oriented, be career oriented and in addition be sagacious in life. They were reminded that an “ Proverbs 16:29Wickedness loves company—and leads others into sin, or “An evil man deceives his neighbor and leads him into loss.”” It was an edifying experience aiming at embracing changes for a better future.

A question and pragmatic example became relevant on the ground. Can there be a person destined to live poorly? The facilitator went an extra mile to give the practical example saying, my wife is from the poor family, in fact, one of you here in Kanyanga, from a poor background but she is driving. It was simply because he decided to live differently and now she is somebody valued and cherished. Moreover, the presence of the female facilitator who frankly spoke about the impacts of the early marriage was challenging to all to shun from early marriage.

The third, part tackled the way forward, to the problems, their patron; Mr. Moses drew distinctions between a boy and a girl, a man and woman, and the age limit for marriage to help the youths find their place in the society. Marriage as legal relationship between a man and a woman was given intensive meaning to help them understand who they are. They were encouraged to give priorities to studies and know how to identify their future careers while in school; to participate in co-curricular activities and be practical at home and finally, have mentors in life. It was interesting to see youths open up to share. At the same time it was a moment to know how ignorance, illiteracy and peer pressure becomes obstacles for the bright future.

To make a difference in life does not need just to sit and look at things happen/being done, it is to take part, is to plan well, to resist all that draws our energy to useless activities, to accommodate people who challenge us to grow and the activities that empower us, to accept to change from our prejudiced minds, enslaving traditions and avoiding the status quo of life, with vision setting goals to be realized. In addition, discerning together we abrogate the authoritative power of community leaders and family members that enslave us, we become open to many choices in life, consequently, avoid making decisions from unrealistic grounds, based on everyday experience.

By sch. Obwaya Justus Oseko

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To empower people means to help them have more confidence, to increase their control over situations in life, consequently, to realize that, they can do right things in the proper manner, for their growth and success. Just as many use this expression so must it make sense “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” The experience with the youths and the patron of Kanyanga Parish, for two months; December 2016 and January 2017 proved the second part of these phrase, it was imperative for us, it was educative, enriching and empowering. In a nutshell we were impressed to see youths who are ready to facilitate seminars on their own, concretely investing their energy in digging and weeding, animating mass, visiting the sick and consoling the sorrowful, not entirely because of the presence of their patron but because of the good leadership, empowerment from the patron and the trust he has in them. Sharing with the patron his aim is to continue empowering them and help them to be independent such that when he is not around they know what they are doing.

Many times we think that leadership is all about compelling, instructing and imposing, this is not the case. Our experience with the youths of Kanyanga Parish was a vivid manifestation of the contrary. First, a profound gratitude to the patron who is always with them, participating in their different activities and programmes. In addition, he has played a key role in their manifestation of a sense of

responsibility, such that in his absence activities run as usual. In other words, his is just to direct, theirs is to plan and accomplish. Secondly, the youths are creative in composing and reciting poems. They are available when needed for assistance. They are ready to work, to keep themselves occupied, they also organize charitable activities.

For youths to realize and have a promising future there is need to help them, this is not easy amidst advanced technology and exploitative realities that make others feel they can direct themselves in life. To find a person who has perseverance and trust in them is the first key to prosperity in life. Leadership is participatory; it is being a player in the game, just like a captain of a football team.

By Obwaya Justus Oseko

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Children are a source of joy and happiness wherever they are; keenly observing them, playing and joking, one realizes how easily they mingle with each other.They are the source of happiness although at times can be troublesome. Their innocence, ignorance and curiosity can be edified through constant love and motherly care. The parishes of Lundazi deanery organized a beautiful occasion, from 6th-8th January 2017 to foster joy among children under the theme “let us help children share their joy with other children.” It was not only a moment to share their joy but to evangelize to the whole deanery and the diocese, as these activities were broadcasted through radio Maria zambia.

The programme was organized in a way that all were at home with each activity. The activities ranged from choir competition, poem recitation, Bible reading, Bible drilling, Bible quiz, Bible boxing, Drinking competition, career sharing, sweat pulling, pan picking, bottle filling, sack race and modeling just to name but a few; the aim of this occasion was sharing of the different gifts that the children have; consequently, bringing joy and happiness among them. Secondly, the activities meant that children have their role in the liturgical celebration; they are not just there to observe but to participate. The apex of this event was the Eucharistic nourishment of the epiphany which these children animated. It was relevant for them, as source of joy, just as Christ born to bring joy among people.

In addition, Sr. Victoria gave a spiritual talk on the same topic challenging all the people in-charge of children to combat child trafficking an aspect which forms part of dissociation of children from the parents. She encouraged parents to take care of their children and be vigilant of child traffickers. Child abuse being common in the societies, the deanery organised and openly shared about it, to enlighten the children of the dangers of being abused, the false and empty promises that the abusers use to lure them. In addition,Mrs. Musebo, the Matron Kanyanga parish, clearly pointed out that, parents contribute to child abuse through the types of clothes they buy for their daughters. She further said, ‘some children work around their parents almost half naked without any respect.’ Furthermore, she stressed that both parents and children must be well informed about these facts, so as to abrogate these obstacles, such that children share their joys freely.

Finally, I was so impressed by the commitment of the patrons and Matrons whose aim is to empower children to be visionary; career oriented above all good Christians.

By Sch. Justus Oseko

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My pastoral experience helped me to have a great joy of going out to meet people and to share with them my faith and spiritual experiences. My sharing is based on our summer exposure of December 2016 to January 2017 at Queenship of Mary Kanyanga Parish in Zambia. In the midst of many nourishing
experiences we had, my focus will be on the experience of visiting people in the villages.

Experience teaches that in order to know people with their struggles, we have to go out and meet them, because sometimes people are afraid to come and see us in our communities, due to our protocols and religious structures. Being sent to Kanyanga for our pastoral experience, one of our motivations was to go out visiting Christians, to share with them our faith and to see how they express and live
their faith. One of the things which struck my attention was to realize how people are thirsty for the word, body of Christ, and a spiritual figure. In order to respond to this concrete pastoral need, we would go; the first day just to visit families, share with them and the second day, we would go for the Eucharistic celebration. Due to the nature of the parish and the availability of the priests, most of the people in the villages remain thirsty of the Eucharist. From this experience, I have really seen that people need more priests. That is why Jesus’ words come into my mind: “therefore asks the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest” Mathew 9: 38.

Moreover, it was a great moment of joy for me to share my faith with people and to see the way they express their faith. When it comes to any spiritual gatherings, people respond positively by their attendance. For me this is a sign of great faith and readiness to respond to our Christian vocation. Such experience remains touching, motivating and challenging because as priests, brothers, we have to respond to people’s spiritual need. It is surprising, when in some places there is abundance of priests and religious people without any pastoral work, other places there are Christians in need of more priests at their service. The risk of such experience in the villages whereby people lack enough priests is the temptation to go to consult traditional priests to deal with their spiritual problems and struggles. It is the situation in which many of our Christians are struggling. Sometimes they become hopeless and are really in need of a priest, but no one is there for them.Above all, it was easy to see the joy of people as they welcomed us and especially expressing it through partaking in the Eucharistic celebration. They could move from different villages and gather together for the Eucharist. Seeing the devotion that people have for the Eucharist and the word of God, the main questions coming into my mind are: how do we, as religious respond to people’s thirst for Christ? What is the impact of the Eucharistic celebration in our lives, we who have the chance to partake everyday? Are we ready to go out to meet people and share with them our faith? Sometimes, although people are materially poor, they mostly need spiritual consolation and a person to direct them not to lose hope in Christ.

Sch. Pascal Adrupiako Akuma

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The fire began immediately after a colourful Eucharistic celebration presided by Fr Vicente with the help of Dc Herbert CMM. A group of six youths from the neighbouring church busted into the church while some of the parishioners were still settling from the effects of the electric Eucharistic celebration. Their shrilling musical high toned voices silenced the whole room and no one could resist giving them attention.

They took the podium and immediately the firebegun. It appeared that they were unstoppable and the fire grew each time they intoned another song. Within five ten minutes, the audience was left yearning for more. I kept on musing amidst standing ovation, “they must have taken months to prepare those acapella songs and dances”. I could see our young people almost disintegrating in the face of such a performance.

Yet having had rehearsals for almost a month, the youths of st Agnes were determined to extinguish the fire set ablaze by their neighbours. They marched to the podium dressed in the traditional Zulu attires. Their parents tried to cheer them on and so another broke out. Within ten minutes they were done and the whole room was clouded with applause and ululation.

The ember were still fading away when the youths of st Joan of arch more determined to fan the flames, drew the attention of all by their vibrant performance outside the church.

They were beautifully dressed in traditional attires and left the grass dry after ten minutes of Zulu war dance. This set the pace for more action. More girls, women and boys came in kicking the ground and displaying their flexibility in the Zulu way. It is interesting that even little girls got animated and could not shy off from displaying their talents in kicking the innocent ground and crushing the hospitable green grass. After about two hours, the fire went off and there was no more energy to bring it back.

By Robert Kinena Ndung’u MCCJ

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I am the Way, the Truth and Life! I am the resurrection. Anyone who believes in me, even though that person dies, will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:26)

Millicent Cebekhulu started working in the Scholasticate of Comboni Missionaries of Pietermaritzburg in 2009. She was for us not just a mere worker or cook, but a sister, a mother and a teacher. She played a very direct role in our formation to priestly and missionary life. She, through her skillful work, has formed so many Comboni Missionaries working around the world. And until some months ago, when she fell sick, she was doing so.

My brothers, those here present and far, and I personally want to convey our special ‘Siyabonga Kakhuku’ to Millicent, our sister and mother, for having contributed positively towards our priestly and missionary formation. Each Comboni Missionary who stayed here in Kwasikujana can say something special about Millicent. My brothers and I, here present, greatly acknowledge her goodness and love, her dedication and commitment to our community, and also to the Parish, especially in the area of catechesis. Millicent was for us a teacher and a catechist as she was the first person to teach us a few words in Zulu, like ‘Sawubona…Unjani…Ngiyaphila…Siyabonga…Uvelaphi…’, and how to say few prayers in Zulu, like ‘Udumo…Baba Wethu….Yethi Maria…’.

She also taught us how to cook and bake. I was one of her pupils, and today I can surely say I am a quite good cook. Moreover, some of my brothers here present have become chefs and good bakers after so many good lessons given by her.We no longer buy cakes to celebrate our birthdays as we have great bakers amongst us in the community. Is not this great?

She also worked with Fr. Vicente in the prison as catechist, interpreter and preacher. Actually, she is the one who taught Fr. Vicente, in his old age, to read IsiZulu so that he could celebrate the Mass in prison and also here in the Church. Is not this great? If any of you, my brothers and sisters, present here in this Church, ask any of my brothers here present and those far, what they have to say about Millicent…ah, my God! We can only rejoice and thank God for giving us such a great mother here in South Africa.

Once I asked Millicent, how can I be a good cook? She told me that the only ingredient for your food to be good is ‘Uthando…Love’, Love for the people for whom you are cooking. And that is what made her well-cooked meals taste and appetizing, and that is what made her so special to us and to so many Comboni Missionaries who she formed and met. She loved us as her sons and brothers. She was part and parcel of our community and of the Comboni family in South Africa. She was a great catechist and an active Catholic. She was a woman of faith, a woman of Christ. She lived here on earth doing good and spreading love and the Good news of the Kingdom of God, and so we are sure that she is now in the presence of the one she served and loved while she was amongst us.

Mama Millicent, we the Comboni Missionaries here present and far want to express our heartfelt gratitude for what you did for us and especially for your big heart, for your goodness, love, dedication and commitment to our community. We thank you for your commitment to our Parish and to your brothers and Sisters, sons and daughters, preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation. We thank you for your dedication and commitment to the prison ministry with Fr. Vicente, Mama Magagula and the Brothers. I am sure most of the inmate will remember your good deeds and words.

We also ask you to forgive us the times we wronged you, the times we never responded positively to your great goodness, love and commitment. As we also forgive you the times your human limits blared your goodness and love for us.

To your Sons and daughters, here present and to your entire family and relatives and friends, we say: Your greatness, goodness and Love will be always cherished and remembered amongst the Comboni Missionaries. May the Lord bless and strengthen, with his Holy Spirit, each one of them, and make them cherish and embrace, as you did, what is good and loving for the sake of their faith in Jesus Christ, our living Lord. Millicent, in bodily we shall not see you again, but you live, because your God is a God of life, and life eternal. In God, with God and through God we all live forever and ever.

Millicents, we now wish you a peaceful rest. May the God, whom you faithfully served here on earth, give you that place prepared especially for you in his eternal banquet together with Mary, Joseph, the Apostles, and the Angels and the Saints of the Church.